Z is for Zero
by IvyNyx
Summary: Carlos is nothing, he's worthless a real zero, but he has one thing to live for. Then he loses that one small reason. I just felt like making Carlos suffer; so I did.


I don't own any of the recognizable places or characters. This story is part of a series that is called Descendants A-Z and is cross posted (always under "IvyNyx").

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His stomach twisted in hunger, but he barely noticed, being hungry was just another fact of his life. Oh what a charmed life, son of arguably the most insane villain ever, it was a glamorous existence. Rolling on to his toes he tried in vain to clean the huge dining room table, but it was useless. As quietly as he could he pulled out one chair and clambered onto it before kneeling on the table top, it wouldn't take long to clean the table as long as his mother did catch him.

"What in the fuck are you doing!"

Carlos cringed and scrambled off the table, "cleaning mom, I couldn't reach the middle" he started before a sharp kick to his side took his breath away.

"Worthless little fuck! Can't you do anything right?" Cruella snared at her only son. Carlos didn't answer, four years of life hadn't taught him much, but it had taught him to keep his mouth shut when his mother was in one of her moods. It didn't take long for him to black out, he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten, coupled with the continuous blows from his mother he didn't stand a chance of remaining conscious.

Carlos couldn't remember anyone telling him anything encouraging. At home he was nothing more than a slave for his mother, actually if he was being honest she treated the slaves better. In school he was a walking punching bag for other students. Teachers enjoyed reminding him that he was a zero, nothing in his head, dumb as a box of rocks. He had no intention of telling them otherwise. He knew he was nothing, but he was okay with it, he'd never known anything else. He had no reason to try and change their minds, he didn't know what it felt like to have someone take pride in his accomplishments. He had no idea what it was like to have someone tell him he'd done good, or in their case bad. He was just a zero, and the world made sure he knew that was all he'd ever be.

Carlos woke slowly, the last thing he remembered was being knocked out, but that was a common theme of his life. Being tied up was less common, but still it had occurred before. Gagged and blindfolded however was new, he could hear people talking, but their voices sounded fuzzy to him. A few moments later he felt a hand on his chest a flinched, why didn't he have a shirt. As his brain started to process his predicament he felt more hands on him and a startling lack of clothes. He silently gave in and retreated to the back of his mind, he could connect the dots, and being aware of his surroundings while being raped didn't sound like his idea of fun. He didn't know how much later it was when a jet of icy water hit him, his mother unbound his hands before snapping at him to get out of her sight. He took off the blindfold and unhooked the gag before bending to untie his feet. When he tried to walk he stumbled and fell as pain shot up his spine and down his legs. Bracing for the pain he stood to try again, slowly he limped to his room and pulled on a pair of old sweat pants, just one more tiny facet of his hellish life.

"I told you to clean this fucking room!"

Carlos looked around, it looked clean to him, but he knew better than to say he did it already, so he stood and started to dust the already dusted furniture hoping his mother would be satisfied and leave. Instead she grabbed him by the hair and dragged him into the hallway, screeching insults as she went. Without a second thought she thew him down the stairs. Carlos laid at the bottom, for the first time in his life he considered not getting up. His entire life was being beaten, raped and reminded how useless he was. At school he was nothing but a punching bag. He truly had nothing to live for, so when his mother grabbed him by his shirt he didn't even bother trying to defend himself.

"If you can't follow my rules here then leave!" Cruella shrieked shoving her son at the door, he tripped over the threshold and stumbled falling flat on his ass. He tried to pull his feet out of the doorway and failed, his left leg was still in the door as his mother slammed it shut. Pain exploded through his leg making him withdraw the appendage, the door clicked shut as his mother slammed it a second time.

He went to stand and quickly discovered he wasn't going to be able to put any weight on his left foot. It figures the one day he gives up, she doesn't even abuse him properly. He crawled away from the house towards an old oak tree on the corner of their property. He wedged himself between the old picket fence and the tree. He wanted to cry, but he'd run out of tears a long time ago. Hopefully in a few hours he'd be able to put some weight on that leg again, he'd broken his arm last year and used it until it healed, hopefully he could do the same with his leg. Or maybe he'd be lucky and it wasn't actually broken. He snorted at his own thoughts, of course it was broken, his only luck was bad luck.

He scooted back a little more and grabbed some ivy off the tree, using a couple branches he crafted a makeshift splint around his leg. He absently rubbed his head where his mother had grabbed his hair, clearly he needed to cut it again.

The sound of footsteps on the road alerted him that he wasn't as alone as he wanted to be. He sat silently, hoping whoever was passing wasn't paying attention.

"Whatcha doing on that psycho's property?"

Clearly bad luck was it.

"Hoping to die; so far it's not working" Carlos said, hoping the stranger would either move on or kill him. He wasn't particularly fussy which at this point.

"Sheesh, I thought my dad was optimistic; who's your parents?"

"Parent, psycho herself" Carlos said with a hand wave towards the house.

He watched shock enter the other boys face, he didn't look to be much older than himself.

"That insane son of a bitch has a kid? The universe must have a hell of a vendetta on you."

"You're still talking to me, so yes it does" Carlos said wondering why the hell this guy wouldn't move on already.

He hopped over the fence and sat next to Carlos, "Tripp, son of Lock and who the fuck knows" he said offering his hand.

"What the fuck are you doing" Carlos asked, he held the title of worst villain on the isle and even he didn't look for handshakes.

"Trying to make a friend; someone with Cruella for a mother shouldn't be scared off by the grand-kid of a nightmare" Tripp told him. Carlos looked at him before shaking his hand.

"Handshakes, friends. I thought my mother was insane" Carlos said with a smile.

"I'm the better kind of insane" Tripp offered, "So whatcha doing out here?"

"Avoiding my family tree, this one is much nicer" Carlos said patting one of the roots of the oak tree.

"I'd bet. I'm assuming the other tree caused your leg issue" Tripp said seeing the makeshift splint.

"Yeah, biggest cunt on the island, shes running again this year, so far it's a ten year sweep"

Tripp chuckled, three hours later the two of them were still sitting under the tree talking.

"I should head out, meet you here again tomorrow?" Tripp asked, Carlos looked at him like he was insane, but nodded. He'd never had a friend, or even just someone who didn't hate him.

The next three years Carlos was abused by his mother, raped by whoever would pay her and generally neglected. She'd spend hours hitting him and shrieking about how useless he was. Once she tired of him, he'd slip out of the house to an uneven platform in the oak tree. Most of the time Tripp would be there waiting for him, they'd built the platform together. Both were abused at home, neither had a reason to live beside the other. They'd vowed early on to keep going, if only because the other probably wouldn't survive alone.

One day Tripp didn't show up, Carlos didn't think much of it, sometimes one of them was just too hurt to make it to the tree house. A week without Tripp had set Carlos on edge, people vanished on the Isle all the time. He started into town, his mother needed things picked up and he was silently hoping to see Tripp or hear news of his only friend. He got his wish, just outside Jafar's shop Lock was talking another man and a woman, Carlos assumed they were Barrel and Shock, Tripp's aunt and uncle.

"Finally got rid of that weak little brat, doubt anyone even notices"

Carlos didn't even pause to think, he just ran. He'd been fairly sure three days ago that he'd never see Tripp again but hearing it confirmed hurt more than anything his mother had ever done to him.

He went into his house and up to his room, for the second time in his life he didn't care if he lived to see another day. He curled up on his bed and cried, the only person that had remotely cared about him was gone.

Predictably his mother heard him enter the house and made her way to his room, seeing him crying of all things sent her into another infamous rage.

"What the fuck are you crying over! Villains don't fucking cry like little girls." Cruellea snarled at him.

Carlos ignored her, she didn't care what was wrong with him, all she'd do is gloat over his pain.

"I'm talking to you" she shrieked.

"And I am ignoring you" Carlos said.

When he felt the first blow over his head he smiled. He'd never have the guts to kill himself, but with an insane mother he didn't need guts just a big mouth. He felt blood trickle out of his mouth, for the first time in her life Cruella was helping her son and she didn't even know it.

"Get up, you're leaving. Maleficent's orders" Cruella snarled from the door way.

Carlos groaned, everything hurt, it had been a month since Lock confirmed Tripp was dead. Carlos had tried multiple times to goad his mother into actually killing him but it was almost as if she knew what he wanted. He stood and followed her silently, they walked into Maleficent's so called castle. Carlos looked at a purple haired girl, he knew her name was Mal and that it was best to avoid her. The glare the girl sent him confirmed he'd be staying far away from her. The next girl gave him a small smile, he took in her blue hair and made up face then refrained from rolling his eyes. Her head was probably as empty as a flower pot. Lastly was another boy, Carlos was glad he wouldn't be the only male in this trip. When he caught the other boys eye the stranger smiled at him, Carlos bit his lip before offering a small smile in return. He hadn't smiled at all since the last time he'd seen Tripp, but something about this boy made him feel like, maybe, just maybe things would be okay.

The four of them piled into the limo.

"I never knew that insane old harpy had a kid" Mal said looking at Carlos. Carlos sat silently.

"What's it like living with the craziest person on the Isle?" Evie asked, her mother was eccentric, but Cruella was bat crap crazy. Carlos still didn't talk. He also missed the look Mal gave Jay, it clearly told him to do something to make Carlos talk.

"You were friends with Tripp right?" Jay asked, Mal was almost going to tease him for how softly he was talking when Carlos nodded. Mal felt her jaw drop, _no one_ was friends with him, he didn't let anyone get close to him. One kid had tried and Tripp had taken a chunk out of him, literally bit a chunk out of his arm.

"I guess crazy bands together" Evie said looking out the window. Jay saw Carlos flinch but didn't call attention to it, something about the other boy intrigued him. He and Tripp had been half assed acquaintances, he'd often talk to the other boy at his fathers shop, he knew Tripp didn't trust anyone so for Carlos to call him a friend without a second thought was odd.

"You guys have a lot in common?" Jay asked. Carlos pulled up the sleeve of his shirt to show a skeletal thin arm that was covered in purple and yellow skin. Mal watched the exchange, confused as to what the hell she was seeing.

"Can you talk?" Jay asked, that would explain how him and Tripp had stayed friends, if Tripp just talked to him and never had to really interact.

"I can, I don't" Carlos said.

"Why" Mal asked before she could stop herself.

"No point, everyone thinks I'm stupid and worthless. I'd hate to prove them right"

Mal chuckled, Jay smiled at him, Evie rolled her eyes.

"I think we'll get along well, who knows maybe the four of us can take Auradon by storm." Jay said.

"Or we could just plunge to our deaths" Mal said pointing at the edge of the bridge they were about to drive off of. They screamed and clung to each other out of instinct before the magic kicked in and built the bridge in front of their eyes.

"I don't know why I always thought having your life flash before your eyes sounded like fun; one of you remind me to have a better life after this" Carlos muttered to the other three teens while slowly pulling himself from under Jay's arm.

"I think I can do that" Jay said with a small laugh. Mal and Evie sat dumbstruck that they hadn't died and they really were going to Auradon.


End file.
